Review Article: The National Atlas of the United States of America

Summary

This article reviews The National Atlas of the United States, a landmark cartographic publication produced with contributions from numerous federal agencies and experts. The atlas comprises 765 maps organized into three sections: reference, thematic, and international connectivity. The reference section centers on a 1:2,000,000-scale map of the United States, offering extensive place names, highway and railway networks, and land-holding information. While detailed and practical, this section is seen by the reviewer as too utilitarian. The thematic section is the most impressive, spanning physical, economic, social, and political geography, and including maps by renowned scholars such as Erwin Raisz and Philip B. King. It also covers newly mapped topics like earthquakes, air pollution, water purity, and power generation, with transparent overlays adding flexibility. Nevertheless, a number of maps suffer from symbolization conflicts and poor color choices, such as overlapping dot and choropleth patterns, clashing hues, and occasional registration errors. In conclusion, the atlas is among the best national atlases ever published and stands as a major achievement in American cartography, deserving the gratitude of geographers and citizens alike.